The  Finance  Committee  of 
a  School  or  College 
Association 

By  Edith  Helmer 


The  Finance  Committee  of 
a  School  or  College 
Association 

By  Edith  Helmer 

Student  Secretary  for  the  North  Central  Field  Committee 


National  Board 

of  THE  Young  Women’s  Christian  Associations 

600  Lexington  Avenue,  New  York  City 

1916 


Note:  This  leaflet  has  been  prepared  primarily  for  the 
student  Associations  which  do  not  employ  secretaries,  and 
the  budgets  of  which  range  from  $50  or  $100  to  $1,000  a 
year. 


The  Finance  Committee  of  a  School 
or  College  Association 

By  Edith  Helmer 

!•  The  Purpose  and  Plan  of  the  Finance  Committee 

Is  the  making  of  the  will  of  Christ  effective  in  the  lives  of 
people  related  in  any  measure  to  the  money  which  is  raised 
and  spent  in  a  Christian  Association?  Money  and  the  Christ 
life— how  are  they  related?  What  has  the  Finance  Com¬ 
mittee  to  do  with  the  coming  of  the  Kingdom  of  God?  Does 
the  living  of  life  on  the  college  campus  after  the  manner  of 
Jesus  Christ  depend  at  all  upon  the  money  which  climbs  into 
the  Association  treasury,  and,  more  than  that,  upon  the  way 
in  which  it  pours  back  again  through  the  activities  of  the 
various  committees  into  the  lives  of  girls?  Finance  and 
the  making  real  of  the  Father-love  of  God!  When  do  they 
touch  each  other,  and  how?  Can  they  ever  be  as  cause  to 
result  ? 

One  day  a  postman  carried  a  Christmas  greeting  with  an 
invitation  to  a  Christmas  service  to  a  lonely  girl.  With  a 
strange  comfort  in  her  heart  she  slipped  for  the  first  time 
into  an  Association  meeting.  That  night  was  born  a  pur¬ 
pose  to  know  better  the  Friendly  Person  who  one  time  walked 
with  folk  along  a  country  road  in  Galilee  and  who  today  is 
walking  campus  paths  in  friendly  hearts. 

Investment?  One  small  printed  card  and  three  cents,  one 
envelope,  one  half  cent,  a  one-cent  postage  stamp;  and 
through  them,  extended  friendliness  and  interest. 

Returns?  Heart  warmth,  new  purpose,  Christ-like  living. 

The  purpose  of  the  Finance  Committee  is  not  primarily 
the  making  of  money,  not  alone  the  application  of  approved 

3 


business  methods,  nor  the  collection  of  membership  fees  and 
benevolences.  These  are  means  and  necessary  methods, 
methods  which  are  sometimes  humdrum,  but  which  always 
may  be  glorified  with  the  radiance  of  their  purpose.  To  lead 
girls  into  a  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  help  them  live  life 
in  his  way,  to  point  them  through  Him  to  the  Father  God,  to 
make  it  possible  for  other  girls  to  know  Him — this  is  the 
mrpose  of  the  Finance  Committee,  as  it  must  be  the  purpose 
of  every  other  committee  of  the  Association. 

II.  The  Formation  of  the  Committee 

Immediately  following  the  election  of  officers  in  March,  the 
new  president  in  selecting  her  cabinet  will  have  named  among 
its  members  the  chairman  of  the  Finance  Committee.  To¬ 
gether  the  president  and  finance  chairman  should  select  the 
other  members  of  the  committee.  This  early  appointment 
allows  sufficient  time  for  the  training  of  the  committee  and 
for  closing  the  year’s  accounts  in  good  shape.  Early  organi¬ 
zation  of  the  committee  should  assure  the  strongest  kind  of 
work,  from  the  day  college  opens  in  the  autumn  until  the 
day  in  the  spring  following  when  the  committee’s  term 
expires  and  its  successor  is  appointed. 

Chairman. — The  chairman  should  possess  the  qualities  of 
strong  leadership,  good  business  ability,  a  willingness  to 
co-operate  with  others  and,  above  all,  devotion  to  the  spiritual 
purpose  of  the  Association.  She  must  accept  the  responsi¬ 
bility  of  financing  in  an  adequate  and  dignified  way  an  Asso¬ 
ciation  whose  purpose  is  far-reaching  and  whose  influence  is 
immeasurable.  She  must  have  faith  in  the  willingness  of 
g  rls  to  support,  if  the  proposition  is  clearly  presented  to 
them,  an  organization  which  has  a  high  purpose  and  which 
stands  upon  a  good  business  basis. 

Treasurer. — It  is  desirable  in  the  larger  Associations, 
although  it  is  not  necessary  in  smaller  ones,  that  the  chair¬ 
man  of  the  Finance  Committee  and  the  treasurer  of  the 
Association  should  be  different  persons.  The  treasurer  should 

4 


unquestionably  be  a  member  of  the  Finance  Committee.  She 
must  be  accurate,  methodical,  businesslike  and  must  have  a 
fair  knowledge  of  simple  bookkeeping.  Such  knowledge  may 
be  easily  and  quickly  acquired  immediately  after  her  election 
to  office,  if  it  is  not  one  of  her  previous  assets. 

Members. — Committee  members  should  not  be  chosen  at 
random.  Resourcefulness,  quiet  persistence,  faith  in  people, 
business  ability,  and  understanding  of  and  devotion  to  the 
purpose  which  glorifies  all  methods  must  characterize  each 
member  of  the  committee  as  well  as  its  chairman.  The 
number  of  girls  serving  on  the  committee  will  vary  naturally 
with  the  size  and  the  subsequent  needs  of  the  Association. 
As  a  whole  it  should  be  as  representative  of  the  entire 
student  body  as  possible. 

Training  of  the  Committee. — Immediately  after  the  forma¬ 
tion  of  the  committee  should  come  a  period  of  training. 
Thorough  preparation  is  indispensable  to  efficient  finance 
work.  Such  training  should  include: 

1.  Careful  and  detailed  study,  of  the  current  budget,  to 
ascertain  the  reason  back  of  every  item  in  the  budget. 

2.  Study  of  the  application  of  the  budget  to  the  actual 
receipts  and  expenditures  of  the  year  which  closes  in  June. 
Where  did  the  budget  fail  to  cover,  or  more  than  cover,  the 
actual  receipts  and  expenditures? 

3.  Study  of  the  local  student  community  in  relation  to  the 
amount  of  money  which  can  be  raised,  and  to  the  best  methods 
of  raising  it. 

4.  Study  of  “The  Association  Hand-Book”  for  knowledge  of 
the  whole  Association  movement  and  of  the  responsibility 
and  obligation  of  the  local  student  Association  to  the  great 
work  of  the  National  organization  which  is  carried  on 
through  the  National  Board,  its  Field  Committees,  the 
World’s  Committee  and  the  Foreign  Department. 

5.  Familiarity  should  be  established  at  once,  if  it  does  not 
already  exist,  on  the  part  of  each  member  of  the  committee 
as  regards  The  Association  Monthly  and  The  North  American 

5 


Student.  Such  familiarity  should  be  uninterrupted  during 
the  year. 

6.  Consultation  with  the  advisory  committee  is  most 
important.  They  should  be  consulted  not  only  concerning  the 
drawing  up  of  the  policy  and  the  budget,  but  frequently 
during  the  year,  concerning  the  actual  progress  of  the  work. 

The  chairman  of  the  Finance  Committee  may  appoint  one 
or  more  sub-committees  if  she  thinks  wise.  The  assignment 
to  individual  girls,  as  sub-chairmen,  of  definite  responsibility 
for  certain  pieces  of  work  is  usually  desirable.  (See  para¬ 
graph  on  Committee  Organization,  p.  10.) 

All  plans  suggested  by  such  sub-committees  must  be  pre¬ 
sented  to  the  Finance  Committee  for  approval,  and  having 
been  approved,  may  be  put  into  execution. 

III.  Responsibilities  and  Work 

The  Finance  Committee,  in  accordance  with  its  purpose, 
has  grave  responsibilities.  The  Association  ideal  must  be 
accomplished.  What  means  will  be  needed,  in  order  as 
nearly  as  possible  to  fulfill  the  purpose?  What  are  the 
chief  sources  of  receipts?  By  how  much  will  this  income 
have  to  be  supplemented?  What  disbursements  are  essential 
to  strong  Association  life?  Some  plan  of  action  is  needed. 

Policy 

A  policy  is  as  necessary  to  clean-cut  committee  work  as  a 
pattern  is  to  a  well-cut  gown.  It  should  be  framed  as  soon 
after  the  formation  of  the  committee  as  the  necessary  infor¬ 
mation  has  been  acquired,  and  should  include  everything 
which  the  committee  intends  to  accomplish  during  the  year. 
Perish  the  handed-down  policy!  A  new  policy  every  year, 
built  upon  last  year’s  policy  and  stepping  out  toward  next 
year’s  policy,  is  the  rule.  Perish  also  the  policy  tucked  away 
in  the  secretary’s  note-book,  which  does  not  see  the  light  of 
day  from  the  beginning  of  the  year  until  the  end!  Printed 
in  attractive  form,  it  should  be  a  part  of  every  committee 

6 


member’s  personal  belongings,  woven  into  her  every-day  life. 
Such  a  policy,  so  used,  will  accomplish  its  end. 

Budget 

The  full  financial  responsibility  can  be  clearly  faced  only 
through  the  preparation  of  a  budget;  this  is  absolutely  indis¬ 
pensable  to  a  Finance  Committee.  The  budget  is  an  estimate 
of  the  receipts  and  expenditures  of  the  local  Association  for 
a  coming  year. 

A  budget  saves  time,  money  and  energy.  It  means  a 
thoughtful,  thrifty  handling  of  the  money  with  which  the 
committee  is  entrusted.  It  makes  possible  good  stewardship. 
It  should  be  prepared  by  the  Finance  Committee  after  a  care¬ 
ful  study  of  the  budget  of  the  preceding  year,  and  a  compari¬ 
son  of  that  budget  with  the  actual  receipts  and  expenditures 
for  the  year.  Each  committee’s  needs  should  be  determined 
by  consultation  with  various  chairmen  and  new  items  may  be 
introduced  or  gifts  increased. 

The  budget  should  be  made  to  cover  a  college  year,  Sep¬ 
tember  to  June,  inclusive.  The  fact  that  the  term  of  service 
for  the  treasurer  and  finance  chairman  begins  and  ends  in  the 
spring  does  not  make  any  material  difference. 

After  the  budget  has  been  presented  by  the  Finance  Com¬ 
mittee  to  the  cabinet  and  has  been  approved  by  the  cabinet,  it 
should  be  presented  with  full  explanation  to  the  Association 
for  adoption.  It  is  suggested  that  the  budget  be  published 
in  the  college  paper  after  its  approval  by  the  cabinet,  but 
before  its  discussion  and  adoption  by  the  Association,  and 
that  after  its  adoption  a  copy  be  put  in  the  hands  of  every 
Association  member. 

The  adoption  of  the  budget  by  the  Association  gives  the 
committees  the  right  to  proceed  in  their  expenditures  as  the 
budget  indicates.  It  becomes  the  duty  of  the  Finance  Com¬ 
mittee  to  watch  committee  expenditure  and  to  see  that  it 
keeps  within  the  prescribed  allowance.  Failure  to  secure  the 
amount  of  money  anticipated  by  the  budget  means,  of  course, 
a  reduction  of  outlay. 


7 


The  following  is  a  simple,  practicable,  and  comprehensive 
form  of  budget: 


Student  Budget  (September  to  June) 

Estimated  Expenditures 

1.  Gift  to  National  work  . . 
(40%  of  student  fees) 

2.  Local  adminis¬ 
trative  expense  . 

(60%  student 
fees) 

(other  member¬ 
ship  fees)  . 

General  expense  . 

Membership  . 

Voluntary  Study . 

Finance  . 

Religious  Meet¬ 
ings  . 

Social  Service  . 

Social  . 

Publicity  . 


3.  Gift  to  foreign  Associa¬ 

tion  work,  other  mis¬ 
sions  or  benevolences 

4.  Conferences  and  con¬ 

ventions 

5.  Balance  on  hand  (  June) 


Total 


If  the  items  covered  by  No.  2  under  “Receipts”  balance  the 
items  covered  by  No.  2  under  “Expenditures,”  etc.,  it  is  clear 
that  at  the  close  of  the  year  there  will  be  a  surplus  which  is 
approximately  equal  to  the  balance  on  hand  in  September. 

It  is  suggested  that  in  practically  every  case  the  60%  of 
the  student  and  faculty  membership  fees,  increased  by  the 
contributions  from  the  honorary  members,  shall  take  care  of 
all  local  administrative  expense. 

Each  Association  committee  is  entitled  to  an  appropriation 
which  will  cover  the  work  for  the  year.  The  request  for  such 
an  appropriation,  made  after  careful  consideration  of  the 
year’s  policy,  should  be  presented  promptly  by  the  committee 
chairman  to  the  Finance  Committee. 

8 


Estimated  Receipts 

1.  Balance  brought  forward 

(September) 

2.  Membership 

Student  fees 
Faculty  fees 
Honorary  members’ 
contributions 

3.  Systematic  Giving  and 

personal  pledges 

4.  Receipts  from  special 

efforts  or  from  un¬ 
usual  sources 


Total 


Basis  of  National  Support 

Our  National  organization  has  been  called  a  great  family. 
Privilege  and  responsibility  are  always  accompaniments  of 
family  life.  Certain  financial  obligation,  which  is  also  a 
privilege,  devolves  consequently  upon  every  local  student 
Association,  an  obligation  which  should  take  the  form  of 
a  voluntary  gift  to  national  work,  advisory  and  extension,  in 
accordance  with  the  standard  of  support  which  has  been 
adopted  by  the  national  organization  of  the  Young  Women  s 
Christian  Associations.  This  standard  for  student  Associa¬ 
tions,  sanctioned  by  the  Association  representatives  in  the 
Indianapolis  Convention  in  1911,  states  that  a  yearly  con¬ 
tribution  amounting  to  40  per  cent  of  the  student  membership 
fees  covers  adequately  the  obligation  of  the  local  Association 
to  the  national  organization.  This  amount  should  be  for¬ 
warded  through  your  field  office. 

This  method  is  really  effective  from  the  point  of  view  of 
relating  the  individual  girl  to  the  movement  as  a  whole,  when 
every  Association  member  understands  the  basis  of  support 
and  therefore  voluntarily  makes  her  contribution  in  accord¬ 
ance  with  the  standard.  It  may  clarify  matters  to  explain 
that  the  membership  fee  of  $1.00  is  divided  approximately  as 

follows: 


60  cents— Administration  of  local  work 
24  cents — Administration  of  Field  Committee  work 
09  cents — Administration  of  National  Headquarters  work 
07  cents — Administration  of  World’s  work 


The  Finance  Committee  should  as  speedily  as  possible 
comply  with  this  standard  of  support.  It  will  probably  be 
advisable  each  year  to  send  two  distinct  pledges  and  corre¬ 
sponding  contributions  to  the  field  office,  the  first  based  upon 
the  paid  membership  at  the  close  of  the  autumn  membership 
work,  the  second  based  upon  the  additional  paid-up  member¬ 
ship  at  the  close  of  the  school  year. 

Item  No.  4  under  “Expenditures”  should  include: 

9 


Conferences 

Summer 

Field  or  sectional 

State  Student  Missionary  or  Student  Volunteer 
National  Conventions 

Young  Women’s  Christian  Associations  (triennially) 

Student  Volunteer  Movement  (quadrennially) 

Meetings — Annual  members  at  Field  Headquarters 

Item  No.  4  under  receipts  allows  for  the  appeal  for  addi¬ 
tional  support  which  may  be  necessary  under  unusual  cir¬ 
cumstances.  Sources  from  which  such  financial  help  may 
reasonably  be  expected  are  the  students,  alumnae,  faculty 
and  friends  of  the  college. 

Committee  Organization 

The  responsibilities  for  the  year  having  thus  become 
clearly  defined  by  the  policy  and  the  budget,  the  committee 
work  will  be  along  three  general  lines,  which  suggests  the 
following  logical  committee  organization: 

The  duties  of  the  chairman  are  as  follows: 

To  call,  and  preside  over,  all  meetings  of  the  committee. 

To  supervise  the  work  of  the  sub-committees. 

To  turn  over  to  the  treasurer,  personally  or  through  the 
members  of  her  committees,  all  moneys  received,  carefully 
accounted  for  in  writing. 

To  present  the  budget  to  the  cabinet  and  the  Association 
for  sanction  and  adoption. 

To  present  a  monthly  written  report  to  the  cabinet,  includ¬ 
ing  recommendations  for  disbursements. 

To  turn  over  the  treasurer’s  books  to  the  auditor  at  the 
close  of  her  term  of  service. 

To  present  an  annual  written  report  to  the  Association. 

The  sub-chairmen. 

A.  The  first  sub-chairman  shall  be  responsible  for  the  col¬ 
lection  of  membership  fees. 

B.  The  second  sub-chairman  shall  be  responsible  for  the 
collection  of  all  pledges,  systematic  or  otherwise,  to  home  or 
foreign  benevolences  and  missions.  This  may  or  may  not 

10 


include  co-operation  with  other  committees  in  a  joint 
presentation  of  appeal.  Co-operation  is  usually  found  to  be 
advisable  as  it  prevents  duplication  of  appeals  and  gives 
added  strength. 

C.  The  third  sub-chairman  shall  be  responsible  for  the 
supervision  of  all  affairs  which  are  promoted  for  the  purpose 
of  money  making. 

It  is  wise  to  have  the  same  committee  member  collect  both 
the  membership  fee  and  pledge  from  an  individual  Associa¬ 
tion  member.  Sub-chairman  A  and  B  may  co-operate  easily 
in  this  effort. 

Chairman 

Sub-chairman  A  |  any  number  of 

Sub-chairman  B  r  girls 

Sub-chairman  Cl 

Treasurer — ex-officio  member  of  committee. 

The  treasurer,  being  a  regularly  elected  officer  of  the  Asso¬ 
ciation,  is  of  course  a  member  of  the  cabinet — even  if  only  a 
member  of  the  Finance  Committee  and  not  chairman  of  it. 
Her  duties  are  as  follows: 

To  keep  a  careful,  accurate  account  in  good  business  form 
of  the  money  at  the  disposal  of  the  Association. 

To  make  weekly  deposits  of  all  money  received,  in  a 
specified  bank  where  the  account  shall  stand  in  the  name  of 
the  Association  and  that  of  the  treasurer  for  the  current  year. 
Upon  the  appointment  of  a  new  treasurer  the  bank  should  be 
instructed  to  honor  the  new  signature. 

To  pay  by  check  all  bills  which  have  been  voted  by  the 
cabinet  and  duly  signed  by  the  president. 

To  make  a  monthly  written  statement  to  the  cabinet,  of  all 
receipts,  disbursements  and  accounts  payable. 

To  balance  the  accounts  once  a  month  and  verify  them  with 
the  bank  balance. 

To  be  accessible  regularly  each  week,  at  a  stated  time  and 
place,  to  the  members  of  the  committee  who  may  wish  to 
turn  over  money  collected  and  present  receipt  books  for 
approval. 


11 


A  petty  cash  account,  if  deemed  advisable,  may  be 
opened  by  the  treasurer  for  the  settlement  of  such  bills  as 
are  payable  upon  presentation,  such  as  for  express  or  tele¬ 
grams.  Bills  too  small  to  be  conveniently  covered  by  checks 
may  be  paid  from  petty  cash.  An  exact  statement  of  petty 
cash  expenditures  must  accompany  the  monthly  statement  of 
the  treasurer.  For  information  regarding  the  opening  of  a 
petty  cash  account,  see  paragraph  on  Good  Business  Methods. 

Program  for  a  Year  of  Committee  Work 

A  normal  year’s  program  for  a  Finance  Committee  will  be 

somewhat  like  the  following: 

Spring — after  committee  has  been  formed 
Committee  training 
Formation  of  the  policy 
Preparation  of  the  budget 

Submitting  of  the  budget  to  the  cabinet  and  the  Association 
Finishing  the  year’s  work 
Autumn  and  Winter 

Collection  of  membership  fees 

Collection  of  pledges  to  missions  and  benevolences 
Auditing  of  books 
Annual  report 

Special  efforts  for  raising  money  may  be  undertaken  at 
any  time  during  the  year. 

“Un-Commercialized”  Membership 

There  is  need  to  get  away  from  the  old,  erroneous  idea  that 
membership  in  the  Association  depends  primarily  upon  the 
payment  of  the  membership  fee.  Membership  is  a  privilege 
which  should  never  be  purchasable.  The  dollar  contribution 
from  each  member  should  partake  of  the  nature  of  a  voluntary 
gift  of  standard  size  rather  than  of  an  exacted  fee. 

Some  few  Associations  are  urging  their  members  to  make 
contributions,  not  limiting  them  to  the  usual  one  dollar  fee. 
In  such  cases  they  base  their  contribution  to  national  work 
on  forty  cents  per  member.  Many  Associations  find  that 
having'  a  Pay  Day  is  a  helpful  method  of  collecting  mem¬ 
bership  fees. 


12 


Upon  the  Finance  Committee  rests  the  responsibility  for 
using  methods  of  collection  which  will  contribute  to  a  right 
attitude  toward  and  understanding  of  membership. 

A  girl  who  is  approached  by  a  member  of  the  Finance 
Committee  should  always  be  made  to  feel: 

1.  That  her  sympathetic  membership  in  the  Association  is 
of  far  more  value  than  her  dollar  in  the  treasury. 

2.  That  there  is  a  certain  privilege  in  membership  which  is 
also  an  obligation. 

3.  That  her  contribution  in  the  form  of  a  fee  makes  pos¬ 
sible  a  local  and  National  and  World  extension  of  the  organ¬ 
ization  which  purposes  to  hasten  the  coming  of  the  Kingdom 
of  God. 

Systematic  Giving 

Every  member  of  the  Association  should  be  given  an 
opportunity  early  in  the  year  to  share  in  the  support  of  the 
mission  work  or  the  benevolent  enterprise  which  the  Asso¬ 
ciation  has  undertaken.  The  approved  method  of  sharing  in 
such  support  is  Systematic  Giving,  which  includes  obviously. 

1.  Pledge  of  a  stated  amount  per  week  or  month  for  a 
specified  period. 

2.  Weekly  or  monthly  payments  of  the  pledge. 

The  real  value  of  Systematic  Giving  as  a  method  lies  essen¬ 
tially  in  its  reaction  on  the  giver,  in  the  development  of  her 
strength  of  will,  in  the  increasingly  regular  mindfulness  of 
the  work  of  Christ’s  Kingdom  in  which  she  shares,  in  the 
enlarging  of  vision  and  the  deepening  of  interest. 

There  are  frequently  certain  difficulties  in  the  way  of  a 
weekly  or  monthly  collection  of  Systematic  Giving  pledges 
by  the  Finance  Committee.  The  principle  of  Systematic 
Giving  requires  not  the  weekly  or  monthly  collection  of  the 
pledges  by  the  committee,  but  the  regular  setting  aside  by 
the  individual  girl  of  the  amount  pledged.  The  total  pledge 
may  be  gathered  by  the  committee  in  one  or  two  collections 
during  the  year,  if  so  desired,  or  a  strong  box  may  be 
conveniently  placed  where  a  girl  may  deposit  her  gift. 

13 


Money-making  Enterprises 

Occasionally  during  the  year  it  may  be  necessary  to  resort 
to  some  special  method  for  money-making  as  suggested  in 
item  No.  4  under  Receipts  in  the  budget.  Two  rules  may 
well  be  observed: 

1.  One  large,  worth-while  event  requires  less  expenditure 
of  time,  energy  and  money,  and  nets  better  returns,  than  a 
number  of  small  affairs. 

2.  The  character  of  the  affair  should  always  be  in  harmony 
with  the  dignity  of  the  Association  and  the  spirit  of  its 
purpose. 

Good  Business  Methods 

Determined  effort  should  be  made  to  establish  the  Associa¬ 
tion  upon  a  good  financial  basis  and  insure  the  use  of  the 
best  business  methods. 

The  bookkeeping  outfit  with  which  every  treasurer  should 
be  equipped  includes  a  substantial,  permanent  treasurer’s 
book,  carbon  copy  receipt  books,  bank  book,  check  book,  and, 
most  important  of  all,  a  working  knowledge  of  simple  book¬ 
keeping. 

All  money  received  should  be  entered  in  due  form  in  the 
treasurer’s  book  and  deposited  in  the  bank. 

Receipts  should  be  given  for  all  contributions  received. 

All  bills  should  be  paid  promptly  by  numbered  checks, 
unless  it  seems  desirable  to  open  a  petty  cash  account  from 
which  small  bills  may  be  paid. 

To  open  a  petty  cash  account  a  check  may  be  drawn  to  the 
order  of  petty  cash  for  a  stated  amount  agreed  upon  by  the 
Finance  Committee.  From  this  allowance  the  treasurer  may 
pay  small  items  of  expense,  rendering  a  monthly  account  of 
such  disbursements.  The  total  amount  expended  monthly 
may  be  replaced  by  a  check  for  that  amount  to  petty  cash. 

Checks  should  be  written  only  in  payment  of  those  accounts 
for  which  written  statements  have  been  presented.  After 
payment,  such  statements  should  be  kept  on  file. 

14 


Cancelled  checks  should  be  attached  to  the  corresponding 
stub  and  filed.  Vouchers  should  be  filed  alphabetically  or 
numerically. 

Tradesmen  with  whom  the  Association  does  business  reg¬ 
ularly  should  be  paid  monthly  by  check  on  receipt  of  monthly 
statements  from  such  tradesmen. 

The  treasurer’s  book  should  be  balanced  once  a  month  and 
verified  by  comparison  with  the  bank  balance. 

Written  monthly  reports  and  statements,  together  with  the 
annual  report  and  statement,  should  be  filed  in  the  secretary’s 
book. 

Books  should  be  audited  at  the  close  of  each  Association 
year  by  the  college  auditor  or  by  the  person  agreed  upon  by 
the  cabinet  and  the  faculty  adviser  or  advisory  committee. 

Neatness  and  accuracy  are  qualities  indispensable  to  every 
member  of  the  Finance  Committee. 

IV.  Committee  Meetings 

Effective  finance  work  necessitates  regular  monthly  com¬ 
mittee  meetings  throughout  the  year.  The  chairman  is 
justified  in  assuming  the  regular  and  punctual  attendance  of 
every  committee  member. 

Time  is  precious.  The  program  should  be  prepared  in 
advance.  Do  not  shilly-shally  through  the  meeting.  Be 
businesslike  and  to  the  point.  Adjourn  promptly  upon  com¬ 
pletion  of  the  business  in  hand.  Have  some  member  appointed 
to  act  as  secretary  for  the  committee  and  keep  full  record  of 
all  actions  taken. 

An  increasingly  efficient  committee  is  an  increasingly  intel¬ 
ligent  committee.  A  part  of  each  committee  meeting  hour 
should  be  devoted  to  study:  study  of  the  spiritual  purpose  of 
the  Association  and  of  the  way  in  which  that  purpose  is  being 
realized  on  the  campus;  study  of  the  local  situation  in  order 
that  the  plans  made  and  the  methods  used  may  grow  out  of 
a  thorough  and  sympathetic  knowledge  of  the  girls;  study  of 
the  National  and  World’s  Association  movements  and  of  all 
related  movements  that  the  relationships  may  be  real  and 

15 


not  perfunctory;  study  of  the  work  and  of  the  workers  in  the 
foreign  field  for  which  the  Association  has  assumed  definite 
responsibility. 

No  matter  how  hurried  or  how  short  the  time,  never  omit 
or  pass  hastily  over  the  time  for  quiet  thought  and  prayer 
at  the  beginning  or  close  of  the  meeting.  Unmeasured  re¬ 
sponsibility  for  making  possible  the  fulfillment  of  the  purpose 
of  the  Association  rests  upon  the  Finance  Committee  and  its 
members  need  to  pray  much,  both  as  a  group  and  as  indi¬ 
viduals,  that  they  may  know  how  to  spend  wisely  and  to  the 
end  that  the  coming  of  the  Kingdom  may  be  hastened. 

Close  co-operation  should  exist  between  the  Finance  Com¬ 
mittee  and  the  other  Association  committees.  Team  work 
between  committees  is  as  valuable  as  team  work  between 
individuals. 

V.  Thrift  and  Efficiency 

Thrift?  Balanced  living,  thoughtful  investment  in  money 
and  moral  values,  good  sense,  good  taste,  good  handling  of 
all  one's  resources,  whether  they  be  material  or  spiritual. 

Efficiency?  The  best  use  of  the  powers  of  body,  mind  and 
spirit  measured  against  the  one  hundred  per  cent  perfection 
standard  which  Jesus  Christ  Himself  attained  and  which  He 
set  as  the  goal  for  those  who  follow  after  Him. 

Realizing  the  need  of  American  college  women  for  balanced 
living,  which  is  the  thrifty  use  of  all  that  one  is  and  has,  and 
the  attainment  in  the  use  of  all  natural  and  acquired  qualities 
and  powers  of  an  efficiency  which  approaches  Jesus'  standard 
of  perfection,  the  Finance  Committee  shall: 

1.  Strive  individually  and  as  a  committee  to  be  increasingly 
thrifty  and  efficient. 

2.  Study  the  reports  of  the  Commission  on  Thrift  and 
Efficiency. 

3.  Co-operate  in  the  promotion  of  the  study  of  Thrift  and 

Efficiency  among  college  women. 

4.  Present  annually  at  an  open  meeting  both  personal  and 
Association  finance  as  a  spiritual  asset. 

16 


STUDENT  LEAFLETS 
For  Universities  and  Large  Colleges 

Advisory  Committee.  Bertha  Conde.  10  cents. 

Association  Membership  and  Church  Work.  Bertha  Conde. 
10  cents. 

Association  Meetings.  Oolooah  Burner.  10  cents. 
Association  News  Committee.  Edith  Dabb.  5  cents. 

Bible  Study  Committee  and  the  Voluntary  Study  Plan. 
Ethel  Cutler.  10  cents. 

Cabinet,  The.  Bertha  Conde.  5  cents. 

World  Fellowship  (for  the  Missionary  Committee).  Mar¬ 
garet  Burton.  10  cents. 

Conferences  and  Conventions  Committee.  Louise  Brooks. 
5  cents. 

Finance  Committee.  Blanche  Geary.  5  cents. 

How  to  Promote  Eight  Week  Clubs.  Mabel  Stone.  5  cents. 
How  to  Realize  Our  National  Association  Membership. 
Eliza  R.  Butler.  10  cents. 

For  Colleges,  Seminaries  and  Academies 
The  first  six  leaflets  listed  above,  and  “World  Fellowship,” 
“Conferences  and  Conventions  Committee,”  “How  to  Pro¬ 
mote  Eight  Week  Clubs,”  and  “How  to  Realize  Our  National 
Association  Membership,”  as  listed  above.  In  addition: 

Committee  Work  in  Small  Associations.  Eleanor  Rich¬ 
ardson.  5  cents. 

Finance  Committee  in  a  School  or  College  Association. 
Edith  Helmer.  10  cents. 

Social  Service  Committee.  Eliza  R.  Butler.  5  cents. 
Year’s  Outline  for  Religious  Meetings.  Oolooah  Burner. 
10  cents. 

-Nater  As  the  cost  of  each  of  these  lists  totals  $1.05,  a 
packet  of  each  will  be  sent  for  $1.00. 

Watch  The  Association  Monthly  for  announcement  of 
additional  leaflets  during  1916-17. 

Order  from 

Publication  Department 

National  Board  of  the  Young  Women’s  Christian  Associations 

600  LEXINGTON  AVENUE,  NEW  YORK 


